1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a charger/cradle combination device for portable digital communication apparatuses, such as cellular phones, PDAs (personal digital assistants), HHPs (hand held phones), and PCS (personal communication service) phones, and more particularly to a charger/cradle combination device for portable terminals or sliding-type portable digital communication apparatuses, wherein the charger/cradle combination device is provided with a housing capable of performing combined sliding and swing operations.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, a “portable communication apparatus” refers to an electronic apparatus which a user can carry with him/her to perform wireless communication with a desired partner. In consideration of portability, designs of such portable communication apparatuses have tended not only toward compactness, slimness, and lightness, but also toward providing greater multimedia availability, incorporating a wider variety of functions. In particular, future portable communication apparatuses are expected to incorporate greater multi-functionality while being more compact and lighter, and also will be modified to be suitable for various multimedia environments or Internet environments. Additionally, such portable communication apparatuses are now commonly used by all kinds of people, and are recognized by some people as a nearly indispensable commodity which must be carried always.
Conventional portable communication apparatuses may be classified into various types according to their appearance, such as bar-type portable communication apparatuses, flip-type portable communication apparatuses, and folder-type portable communication apparatuses. The bar-type portable communication apparatuses have a single housing shaped like a bar. The flip-type portable communication apparatuses have a flip which is pivotably coupled to a bar-shaped housing by a hinge unit. The folder-type portable communication apparatuses have a folder coupled to a single bar-shaped housing by a hinge unit in such a manner that the folder can be rotated in order to be folded to/unfolded from the housing.
Further, the portable communication apparatuses may be classified into neck wearable type communication apparatuses and wrist wearable type communication apparatuses according to the position at which or the way in which a user puts on the communication apparatuses. The neck wearable type communication apparatus is one which a user wears around the neck using a string or lanyard, while the wrist wearable type communication apparatus is one which a user wears around the wrist.
Additionally, the portable communication apparatuses may be classified into rotation-type communication apparatuses and sliding-type communication apparatuses according to ways of opening and closing the communication apparatuses. In the rotation-type portable communication apparatus, two housings are coupled to each other in such a manner that one housing rotates to be opened or closed relative to the other while they face each other. In the sliding-type portable communication apparatus, two housings are coupled to each other in such a manner that one housing slides to be opened or closed relative to the other. These variously classified portable communication apparatuses can be easily understood by those skilled in the art.
Meanwhile, conventional portable communication apparatuses now have available a function of transmitting data at a high speed in addition to the basic function of performing voice communication. In other words, according to increased demand by consumers, portable communication apparatuses now tend to provide a wireless communication technology capable of transmitting data at a high speed.
Recent portable communication apparatuses also can to be equipped with a camera lens which enables the communication apparatuses to transmit an image signal. That is, current conventional portable communication apparatuses may have an imbedded or external camera lens or a photographing means which enables a user to make an image communication with a desired partner or to take a photograph of a desired subject.
In addition, conventional portable terminals are able to be recharged using a charger when the power source thereof is completely consumed. A separate charger is used to recharge a battery pack for such a portable terminal.
However, in the conventional chargers for conventional portable terminals, there is a problem in that they do not have any additional functions except for a simple charging function. The conventional chargers also have a disadvantage in that they do not allow the position of a portable terminal to be adjusted after the portable terminal has been positioned on the cradle of the charger. In fact, a need exists for a charger constructed in such a manner that if the inclined state of a portable terminal positioned on the cradle of a charger can be adjusted, its utility can be enhanced.
In other words, the whole function of the conventional chargers is merely to recharge a battery pack of a portable terminal by connecting a charger to a power source after the portable terminal is inserted into a slot provided in such a charger. Accordingly, as more PDAs are used with an increased tendency toward multimedia functionality and thus an improved multimedia environment is introduced, there will be a demand for more highly developed multi-functional chargers. In addition, there will be a demand for chargers suitable for various types of portable terminals as mentioned above. In fact, sliding-type or rotatable type portable terminals are expected more common in the future so as to provide the portable terminals with more composite functions. This is because it is expected that a larger display screen will be demanded in portable composite terminals in the future, as well as a space for more keys.